ANZSCO 2525-11 Victoria
Physiotherapist June 2017
Labour Economics Office Victoria
Department of Employment
Current labour market rating Regional Shortage
Previous labour market rating (June 2016) Regional Shortage
Metropolitan Recruitment Difficulty (Aged Care)
Comments
Regional Victorian employers experienced difficulty finding qualified, skilled and experienced physiotherapists, especially in the aged care sector.
Survey results[1]
· The survey found that 57 per cent of recent physiotherapist positions were filled from averages of 4.9 applicants and 1.4 suitable applicants per vacancy.
o Eleven per cent of regional vacancies were filled (from averages of 0.8 applicants and 0.2 suitable applicants per vacancy) marking the fifth consecutive year for which a regional shortage rating has been recorded.
· Metropolitan areas experienced an 86 per cent fill rate from averages of 7.6 applicants and 2.1 suitable applicants per vacancy.
· The majority of available roles were intermediate positions sourced from a range of private and public services across Victoria including aged care, specialist schools and hospitals.
· All vacancies were seeking fully qualified physiotherapists with full registration through the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
Employer requirements
· Employers identified a range of general employability skills and personal attributes that they regarded as highly desirable. Of these, the most frequently mentioned were good communication and interpersonal skills, the ability to work independently, sound clinical knowledge, and possessing the requisite specialist experience for the role (e.g. aged care).
· Several employers were willing to accept recent graduates where more experienced applicants were not available.
Unfilled vacancies
· The low fill rate in regional Victoria was mainly due to 83 per cent of regional employers receiving no suitable applicants.
· All regional employers commented that attracting suitably qualified, skilled and experienced physiotherapists to regional areas has become increasingly difficult, with some employers noting that they feel compelled to not only promote the role but the attractiveness of the region also.
o It was further noted that relocating families was considered challenging for metropolitan-based physiotherapists.
· Most aged care employers indicated that this sector does not appeal to physiotherapists generally, making recruitment into this field particularly difficult.
· Some employers noted that advertising for Grade 1 roles mid-year made attracting graduates more difficult as most had applied for jobs at the start of the year and were now already employed.
Unsuitable applicants
· Seventy six per cent of applicants were appropriately qualified, however, 63 per cent of these were found to be unsuitable.
· The primary factor impacting on the suitability of qualified applicants across both metropolitan and regional areas was a lack of experience in specialised fields. The next most frequent reason given for unsuitability was poor job applications, especially where – for example – an attribute such as empathy could not be demonstrated for an aged care role.
· Graduates who applied for positions which required levels of clinical experience that they did not possess were also considered unsuitable.
Demand and supply trends
· Data from the Department of Human Services indicates that the number of allied health services (which includes physiotherapy) delivered under the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) increased by approximately 74 per cent between 2011-12 and 2015-16.[2]
· The number of internet vacancies for physiotherapists in Victoria increased over the year to May 2017.[3]
· ABS census data from 2011[4] indicates that approximately half the physiotherapists in Victoria were employed in the allied health services industry and a further 38 per cent were working in the hospital sector.
o Over the 12 months to February 2017, employment in the allied health services sector increased in the May and August quarters, falling back to the starting level by the February 2017 quarter. In the same period, employment in the hospital sector declined.
o Longer term analysis indicates that both sectors have experienced strong growth over the ten years to February 2017.[5]
· Based on demand trends, it is likely that demand for physiotherapists will continue to grow in line with an ageing population and increased government spending on health, disability and aged care.
· Registrant data from the Physiotherapy Board of Australia indicates that, as at December 2016, there are 7296 physiotherapists based in Victoria, an increase of 247 from December 2015. Registration numbers have shown strong annual growth since December 2012.[6]
· The latest available data for Victorian university course completions shows there were 499 course relevant undergraduate and postgraduate completions in 2015, a 6.6 per cent increase from the previous year. A longer term comparison shows a strong upward trend in the number of course completions over the ten years to 2015.[7]
Other indicators and issues
· The recent Physiotherapy Environmental Scan conducted by the Victorian Allied Health Workforce Research Program noted that the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) “presents a significant opportunity to expand access to physiotherapy services to individuals who have severe and permanent disabilities, will increase demand for private and not-for-profit physiotherapy services and stimulate new models of service delivery.” [8]
· A small number of employers indicated that, due to a limited applicant pool, they took on a graduate despite preferring a more experienced candidate. The scan mentioned above supports this, noting that “where there are difficulties filling roles that call for an experienced practitioner or competence at an advanced level, less experienced physiotherapists are often recruited, despite having significant gaps relative to the demands of the role.”[9]
Labour Economics Office Victoria
Department of Employment
[1] The methodology underpinning this research is outlined at Skill Shortage Research Methodology | Department of Employment - Document Library, Australian Government and can also be accessed by the QR code.
[2] Australian Government Department of Human Services, MBS Group Statistics Reports; Category 8 – Miscellaneous Services (Group M3 Allied Health Services), 2011-12 to 2015-16
[3] Department of Employment, Internet Vacancy Index, May 2017, 12 month moving average
[4] ABS, 2011 Population Census Data, Victoria
[5] ABS, Labour Force Industry Data, February 2017, time series
[6] AHPRA Physiotherapy Board of Australia, Registrant Data, December 2012 – December 2016
[7] Department of Education and Training, Higher Education Student Data Collection, 2015, customised tables
[8] Victoria Department of Health and Human Services, Victorian Allied Health Workforce Research Program, Physiotherapy Environmental Scan, 2015-16 (NB: the scan notes also that the “scale of this issue has not been quantified”.)
[9] ibid.